Thirteen-year old Cirra Albee banged open the door to the back balcony of the old two-story farmhouse. “You woke me up! From the other side of the house, your shouting woke me! This had better be –.”

“For once, stop thinking about yourself and listen!” said Jace.

“Why should I?” She jerked her robe tight against the October night and glared down her nose at her twin brother. “Hurry up or I’m going back to bed!”

“Hey, I’m getting tired of this. It’s been a month since Trill –.”

“No! Don’t say it. Don’t.”

Jace’s voice softened. “I know it still hurts, but –.”

“You don’t know.”

“I know that you need to get over –.”

“No! Trill was a part of my life, a part of me! Now, I’ll never see her again. So, it’s over when I say it is. And, Wizzo, I don’t like you waking me at midnight.”

“Well, Miss Pity Party, if you were not such a pain, I would have left you asleep! You could have died in bed without ever knowing.”

“Died? What are you talking about?”

“Look up. Look straight up.”

“I know the northern lights are out. I’ve seen them. I’m going back to bed.”

“Cirra! Look up. There’s a big problem coming our way!”

“Problem?” She looked up to see beautiful curtains of colored light swaying high above the earth. “I told you, I’ve seen the northern . . . Hey! What is that? It’s bright and almost as big as the moon. Is that a fireball?”

“A meteor. It’s coming down fast and in one piece!”

“It’s also getting bigger and staying right over us. Jace, it’s coming straight at us! We have to leave!”

“There’s no time. If the science film at school was right, it will destroy everything for miles around. We have about a minute.”

“Did you hear what I said? There’s no time, and it will only scare her. Let her sleep.”

Cirra looked up. The fireball was now twice the size of the moon. “Why didn’t you leave me asleep?”

“I didn’t want to die alone. Sorry.”

"You should be."

A rushing wind heralded the closeness of the fireball, and an eerie reddish glow lit the backyard – dim at first then brighter.

“Jace, there must be something we can do.”

“I wish there was.”

The light became too bright to watch. They closed their eyes.

The fireball raced closer, warming the October air around them. A roaring filled their ears, and for the first time ever the fear of death welled in their hearts.

Cirra sank to the floor of the balcony. Oh my gosh. I . . . I’m going to die.” Grandma’s loving arms would have felt good around her. She pulled her knees up close and made herself as small as possible. With her head buried in her arms, she pictured her parents’ smiling faces. A whisper slipped from her lips. “Mom, Dad, I’m glad you’re not here.”

Jace sat next to her. Then, a brilliant flash pierced everything around them.